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The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) is extremely disappointed by the decision of the Commission for Aviation Regulation (Regulator) in respect of maximum airport charges at Dublin Airport.
The Regulator’s determination, setting the maximum charge at an average of €6.14 for the next regulatory period, means the DAA will be unable to deliver the full range of facilities required to relieve the current chronic congestion problems at Dublin Airport and to cater for passenger numbers of up to 30m per annum within the next ten years.
The Regulator’s determination also means the implementation of the Government’s decision requiring the DAA to deliver a swift and integrated solution to the capacity problems at Dublin Airport, will be compromised severely.
“The real losers here are passengers, the other users of Dublin Airport and the Irish economy as a whole,” said Declan Collier, Chief Executive, DAA. “We presented a comprehensive, integrated and progressive development plan for the Airport but at this price there are profound implications for its delivery. As a result, the country’s key international gateway will remain constrained, our passenger service levels will continue to deteriorate and the operational efficiency of our airline customers will be affected.
“The DAA will provide the Government with a full review of the impact of the Regulator’s decision on Dublin Airport as soon as it has had an opportunity to study the decision in detail.”
The DAA’s analysis is that a €1.2bn capital investment programme is required to meet Dublin Airport’s capacity issues and that an average airport charge of €7.50 per passenger is needed to finance this programme. This analysis has won the support of the Government and of business and tourism organisations including the Irish Hotels’ Federation, IBEC and the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland.
Many of these organisations have been critical of aspects of the management of Dublin Airport in the past. But it is now clear to them that the DAA’s development programme is the minimum required to deliver a cost-effective, 21st century gateway for Ireland and has been fully endorsed as such by leading airport infrastructure consultants, Pascall & Watson.
There is a broad understanding also that airport infrastructure in Ireland is financed by regulated airport charges and that at €7.50 per passenger, Dublin Airport’s charge would still be a third lower than the average charge of comparable European capital city airports. It is also worth noting that at a time when it needs significant investment funding, Dublin Airport’s charges have not increased since the late 1980s.
“The DAA urges the Regulator to carry out an immediate review of his determination and to provide the appropriate funding support for the needs of Dublin Airport and all its users. There is no time for delay if the Government’s challenging timeline to provide significant new infrastructure at the Airport by 2009, is to be met,” Declan Collier stressed.
Ends
29th September, 2005
Further information contact:
Vincent Wall at 087.6860727
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